Selectively-operated punching machine



bGet. 2, 1928.

, F. L.. DUNLAP SELECTIVELY OPERATED PUNCHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 8,3.927 2 Sheets-Sheet out 2, 1928. 1,686,269

F. L- DUNLAFy SELECTIVELY OPERATED PUNCHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 8, 192,72 Sheets-Sheet 2 @wenn mi,

Patented Oct. 2, 1928.

UNITED. STATES `IVIB'ED L. DUNLAP, 0E JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI.

SELECTIVELY-OPERATED PUNCHING MACHINE.

Application led November 8, 1927. SerialvNo. 231,929.

This invention relates to improvements in selectively operated punchingmachines having for an object to provide a machine especiallyadvantageous for the use in `lmnching of card strips and like masterelements used to automatically control the operation of accountingmachines, automatic typewriters and kindred apparatus wherein a slidablecard or strip holder iscooperatively associated with a Ouide device andis adapted to be automatically moved to a predetermined position forpunching ofthe card or strip arranged therein.

It is likewise an equally important object of the invention to provide amachine of the character indicated employing a. plurality ofappropriately indicatet actuating keys adapted to be operated forcausing the slidable card or strip holder to be checked or temporarilystopped in its sliding movement in order to permit the punching of thecard or strip carried thereby at a desired point.

i Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious and iny partpointed out hereinafter.

In order that the invention and its mode of operation may be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains, I have inthe accompanying illustrative drawings and in the detailed followingrdescription based thereupon, set out one possible embodiment of theinvention.

In these drawings:

Figure l is a top plan view of the improved punching machine having apart thereof removed to show the arrangement of the key carrying barsand a portion of the guide bracket for said bars broken away to show thearrangement of the relatively juxtaposed vertically disposed guide rodsadjacent the different j uXtaposed key bars,

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section through the machine,

Figure 3 is a. fragmentary detail in longitudinal section taken on theline 3--3 of Figure 2 looking in the direction in which the arrowspoint, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in section through thepunching mechanism of the machine.

Having more particular reference to the drawings in connection withwhich like characters of reference will designate corresponding partsthroughout, the improved machine may be stated to comprise a casing likebody indicated in its entirety at this time by the numeral l, said bodybeing provided with compartments 2 and 3; the compartment 2 beingadapted to be normally closed by means of a cover plate l secured inposition through the medium of screws or other suitable fasteningdevices whereas the compartment 3 is adapted to be normallycloscd bymeans of a cover plate inset with respect to said compartment andreceived upon a rabbeted or shouldered portion` 5 therein. j

Arranged Vadjacent the normally forward side and longitudinally of thecompartment 3 of thev body l is a guide bar 6, said guide bar havingappropriately arranged graduations generally indicated by the numeral 7inscribed. or otherwise presented upon a portion of the face sidethereof; the inner end of this bar terminating adjacent -the inner endof the compartment 2 whereas a plurality of guide ears or holders 8 areixedly mounted upon the outer portion of said bar as is shown in theFigure l whereby to receive and to insure proper positioning of a cardor strip to be punched with the machine with respect to the punchingmechanism, hereinafter more fully described. Also, it is to be notedthat the longitudinally disposed guide bar 6 is provided throughout itslength with a shouldered portion 9 against which the adjacent marginalportion of a card or strip to be punched by the machine, has bearing,hence, securing proper relative positioning of said card or strip bothduring the time of its adjustment with respectto the punching mechanismand the final positioning thereof with relation to the pui'ichingmechanism immediately prior to punching' of the card or stri i S idablymounted upon the longitudinally disposed guide bar 6 and movablelongitudinally over the same is a yoke like carriage deviceindicated atthis time by the numeral l0, said carriage having embracing engagementwith respect to the guide bar and being formed with a shouldered portionupon the under face thereof corresponding withthe shouldered portion 9of the bar whereby to insure a snug slidable engagement with the same; ahandle 11 being fiXedly mounted upon the rupper side of the carriage capwhereby to facilitate the imparting of sliding movement thereto in onedirection. Carried upon the under side of the slidable carriage is a leg12 having an arm 13 iXedly connected thereto as indicated at 14, saidarm 13 being disposed longitudinally of the casing like b-ody 1 andextended through a suitable way 15 formed in the partition or wall 1Gbetween the compartments 2 and 3, into the compartment 2, whereat it isiXedly engaged, as at 17 with a sleeve like bearing device 18 slidablyengaged with a support-ing and guide rod 19 mounted in the opposite endwalls of the compartment 2 and disposed longitudinally thereof as isshown in the Figures 1 and 3.

rlhat this slidable carriage 10 and the arm 13 connected thereto andslidably engaged with the guide rod 19 through the medium of the sleevelike bearing 18 may be normally retained in position as is shown in theFigures 1 and 3, l attach one end of a contractile coil spring 2O ,to aportion of the leg 12 whereas the opposite end of said spring is lixedlyconnected tothe outer end wall of the compartment 3. By reason of theconnection of'this contractile coil spring 20 to the carriage 10 in themanner aforesaid, it will be understood and appreciated that saidcarriage will be normally yet yieldably retained in the position as isindicated in thefsaid Figures 1 and v With a view toward providing thecarriage 10 with means for temporarily checking or stopping the slidingkmovement of the same along the guide bar 6 at predetermined Jointswhereby to permit of the punching of holes in a card or strip engaged bysaid carriage and arranged upon the guide bar, 6, I mount upon `asuitable pivot supportingr lbar 21 supported in the forward side andupper portion of the compartment -8 as is shown in the Figures 1 and 2,a plurality of pivotal bars generally indicated herein by the numeral22, each of said bars having the outer ends thereof formed withupstanding shanks 23 carrying appropriatelyV designated keys 24s; theinner portions of these bars 22 being each formed with offset orirregular portions 25 whereby they may be arranged or extended under thelongitudinally disposed supporting and guide rod 19 within saidcompartment 2 whereas the free and inner ends of said bars are eachengaged by lthe upper ends of contractile coiled springs generallyindicated by the numeral 2G, the lower ends of which are secured to theadjacent portion of the casing bottom as indicated at 27. By reason ofthis pivotal mounting and spring connection of the lkey carrying bars22, it will be understood that with depression of the respective keys2liy carried upon the shank 23 thereof, the inner ends of said barswill' be raised from their normal position and when in such raisedposition will be disposed in the path of travel of the sleeve likebearing 18, hence affording a means for temporarily checking or stoppingsaid element, together with the carriage 10 and the arm 13 during thetime of movement of the same toward trie outer end of the compartment 3under urge of the contractile coil spring 20. However, when the engagedkey bar is released, the contractile coil spring 28 connected theretowill immediately return the inner end of the same to its normal out ofthe way position as respects the sleeve like bearing 18 and at thistime, the :arriage 10 together with the arm 13 and said sleeve likebearing 18 are free to return to their normal position under influenceof the coil spring 20.

n mounting the key carrying bars 22 within the compartment 2, will benoted that the same-are positioned in relative juxtaposed relationlongitudinally of said compartment and to insure individual operationVof the same without interference with one another, I arrange withinsaid compartment 2 and over the intermediate portions of the bars 22 asubstantially inverted U-shaped bracket 28 passing screws or othersuitable fastening devices 29 through the seat formed upon the oppositeextremities thereof into engagement with adjacent portionsI of thecasing bottom; the upper horizontal portion of said bracket 28 havingthe upper ends of a plurality of vertically disposed and relativelyjuxtaposed guide rods generally designated by the numeral 30 iixedlysecured therein whereas the lower ends of each of the guide rods varesimilarly secured in a bar 31 lixedly mounted adjacent the bottom of thecasing 1 and immediately below the upper and horizontal portion of saidbracket 28. Thus, it will be appreciated that these guide rods 30consequently upon their individual arrangement between the variousjuxtaposed key carrying 4bars 22 will serve as means for retaining saidbars in their relative individual positions so that free anduninterrupted operation of the same will be at all times insured.y

That the forward portions of the keycarrying bars 22 lmay be affordedfree pivotal movement at the time when they are selectively operated, lmay and preferably do cut away a portion of the front wall of thecompartment 2 of the casing l as is shown at 32, thus allowingdepression of the various key carrying bars 22 to such an extent as toinsure the raising of the ninner extremities thereof into the normalpath of ,travel of the bearing like device 18 whereby that device may beselectively checked at a predetermined point during its sliding movementin the direction hereinbefore indicated.

That a card or strip arranged upon the guide bar 6 and adjacent the earsor holders 8 may be punched subsequently to adjustment of the saine uponsaid bar through the instrumentalities of the carriage 10, the arm `sameinto engagement with said forward wall, as is shown in the Figure 4i;the` horizontal or upper portion of the bracket 34; being extended for adistance beyond the wall and having a guide opening formed therein andadapted to slidably receive a `shank or operating rod 36 therethrough,this rod being vertically disposed with respect to the easing l and in.substantial parallelism to the outer side or face olf the forwardwalloit the same and slidably passed. through an opening formed in thebottom ot the casing l to a point below said casing whercat it isprovided with a foot pedal or similar device 37; the upper end of saidoperating rod 36 bein normally disposed above the operative arm 33 andformed with a right angular extension 38 carrying a punch 39 upon thelower side or the iree end of the saine as is shown in the Fig-- ure ll,.said punch 39 being 'vertically aligned with respect to the punchreceiving opening formed in the arm so that with depression or' the footpedal 37, the rod 36 will be drawn downwardly and in so doing, willcause the punch 39 to enter the opening of the arm 33 and thereby topunch a card or strip arranged upon the shouldered longitudinal guide 6and over the correspondingly shouldered portion 40 of said arm 33.`

In operation of my improved punching machine, a card or strip to bepunched is arranged upon the guide G under the ears 8 and adjacent thepunching mechanism whereupon the handle 1l ot the carriage 10 is graspedby an operator and is slid in a direction toward the compartment 3 atwhich time the contractile coil spring 20 engaging said carriage will beplaced under tension. The carriage l0 is moved to the full extent oi itsslidable movement toward the compartment 2 and the previously insertedor arranged card or strip to be punched by the machine is brought intoabutting engagement with it. Vith the machine so adjusted, it will beunderstood that the spring 2() will exert an urge or opposite slidingmovement upon the carriage 10 and at this time, the machine operatorselects and depresses one of the appropriately designated keys 24 of theke Y carr in@ bars 22 causing that articular bar 22 to be pivotedagainst the tension of its particular coiled spring 26 and to be movedupwardly so as to be arranged in the path of return travel of the sleevelike bearing device 18. The handle 11 of the carriage l0 is now releasedwhereupon such carriage will immediately start upon a return slidingmovement under iniiuence of the tensioned coil spring 20. However, assaid carriage moves along the guide rod 19. it will engage thepreviously depressed key carrying bar 22 and will be temporarily checkedin its sliding movement. With stopping of the carriage l0 by theselectively operated ltey carrying bar 22, said carriage will bearranged adjacent one of the graduations 7 inscribed upon the guide bar6 and particularlyyadjacent that graduation on said bar corresponding tothe appropriately designated matter oi the key 24 of said depressed keycarrying bar 22. The punching mechanism is now operated whereby to punchthe card following which the depressed key 24 is released and thecarriage l0 is permitted to return under in'liuence oi' the coil spring2O to its normal position as is shown in the Figure lj wluueupon anothercard or strip may be inserted and the punching operation just describedrepeated; any one of the various .keys being selectively depressedwhereby to check or to stop the return sliding movement of the carriagel() at a predetermined point or graduation 7 upon the guide bar Gdepending upon the key actuated.

Maniiestly, the construction shown is capable of considerablemodification and such modilication as is within the scope olf my claims,I consider within the spirit of mv invention.

I claim:

l. A. card punching machine comprising' a casing like body, a pluralityof individually operable key carrying bars pivotally mounted thereon, aguide bar for retaining a card to be punched, a card setting carriageslidably mounted on the casing adapted to be checked in its slidingmovement in one direction by an actuated key carrying bar, and a cardpunching means on said casing cooperable with said guide bar andcarriage.

2. A punching machine comprising a casing like body, a plurality ofindividually operable key carrying bars pivotally mounted thereon, alongitudinally disposed and graduated guide bar supported on the casing,a carriage slidably mounted upon said guide adapted to be` checked inits sliding movement in one direction by an actuated bar, means :forreturning said carriage to its normal position upon the guide, andpunching means on the casing eooperable with said guide and carriage.

3. A punching machine comprising a casing having a plurality ofjuxtaposed compartments formed therein, a longitudinally disposedandgraduated guide bar mounted on the casing adjacent one of saidcompartments, a carriage slidably engaged with and movable over saidguide bar, a plurality of individually operable key carrying barspivotally mounted in the remaining compartment in relative juxtaposedrelation, an arm carried by said carriage and extended into i andmovable through said second compartment over said key carrying bar andadapted to be temporarily engaged and checked by a particularly actuatedkey carrying bar, punching means on said casing in proximity to saidguide bar and cooperable with said carriage.

4. A punching machine comprising a casing like body having a pluralityot j uXtaposed compartments therein, a graduated guide bar iiXedlymounted adjacent the or- Ward Wall of one of said compartments anddisposed longitudinally thereof, card or strip holding` means upon aportion of said bar, a carriage slidably engaged with and movable overthe bar, one end oi said bar terminating adjacent the remaining of saidcompartments in the casing, a guide rod iixedly mounted Within saidsecond compartment disposed longitudinally of the same and in alignmentWith said guide bar, an arm iixedly secured to the carriage, a bearingsleeve slidably engaged with said guide rod and connected to said arm, aplurality of individually operable key carrying arms mounted in relativejuxtaposed relation in said second compartment, the key carryingportions of said bar being arranged without the compartment and beyondthe casing, portions of said key carrying bars with depression of thesame being adapted to'be arranged in. the path of movement ot' thebearing like sleeve upon said guide rod, and punching means mounted onthe casing adjacent said guidebar and cooperable vwith said carriage. v

5. A punching machine comprising a cas` ing like body having a pluralityof juxtaposed compartments therein, a graduated guide bar AXedly mountedadjacent the tor- Ward Wall of one of ysaid compartments and disposedlongitudinally ot the same, card or strip engaging and retaining earsformed upon said guide bar, a carriage engaged with and slidable overthe graduated guide bar, spring means connected to said carriage torreturning and retaining the same in a normal position, a guide rodiixedly mounted in the remaining compartment longitudinally of the sameand in substantial parallelism to said guide bar, an arm fiXedl-yconnected to the under side of said carriage and extended into saidsecond compartment, a sleeve like bearing device secured to the tree endoi'- said arm and slidable over said guide rod, afplurality ofindividually'operable key carrying bars pivotally mounted in the secondcompartment in relatively juxtaposedrelation, portions of said keycarrying bar, with individual depression thereof being adapted to bearranged in the path oi sliding movement of said sleeve like bearing`device, spring means kengaging' each ot' the inner ends of said keycarrying bar for retaining and returning the same to their respectivenormal positions, and punching means mounted on the casing adjacent saidguide bar and cooperable With said carriage.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRED L. DUNLAP.

